Apple to open its first European app training center in Italy

In its bid to keep the App Store full of interesting and profitable apps, Apple has announced it's opening its first iOS Developer Center in Naples, Italy. The center will operate as a formal training school, allowing developers from across the continent to learn what Apple believes are the best tools to success on its marketplace. The training will have its own "specialized curriculum" and should it be a success, the company believes will open the door for more centers around the world.

While there are plenty of development courses available to creators, an Apple-certified course is likely to attract the attention of coders who want to start their career on the right foot. It also highlights that more developers are looking to iOS as a career platform. To back that up, Apple claims the App Store has already helped create more than 1.4 million jobs in Europe and helped developers earn over €10.2 billion ($11.11 billion), but it should come as no surprise that it wants to increase those numbers (and boost its revenue in the process).

Last month, Apple was reportedly fined $347 million for tax irregularities in Italy and is currently at the center of a European Commission investigation for possibly enjoying better tax deals than are warranted under EU law. Today's announcement provides Apple with the chance to cast some positive light on its European operations, and ensure developers keep feeding the iOS ecosystem.